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Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes retained his title at Saturday Night’s Main Event by defeating Kevin Owens, but Owens got the last laugh with a post-match beating that left Rhodes hospitalized.
WWE announced on Sunday that Rhodes was suffering from cervical swelling and was being held overnight at a local hospital in Long Island, New York for observation. It was also announced that X-rays were negative for a fracture, but Rhodes was officially diagnosed with axial compression of the cervical spine and a cervical strain with spasm.
WWE @WWE
BREAKING: Earlier today it was confirmed @CodyRhodes suffered from cervical swelling and was kept overnight at a local hospital for observation. While X-rays were negative for a fracture, Rhodes has officially been diagnosed with axial compression of the cervical spine, as well as… pic.twitter.com/zyfdThsMQs
Rhodes’ title defense against Owens led to WWE’s first Saturday Night’s Main Event since 2008. The event previously aired on NBC on special occasions from 1985 to 1992. Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, the site of Saturday’s show, was the site of the original Saturday Night’s Main Event.
As the cameras went off the air with Rhodes celebrating to retain the title, Owens attacked him and delivered a piledriver that likely caused the champion’s injuries. Rhodes was placed on a stretcher and taken to an ambulance to be transported from the arena:
WWE @WWE
EXCLUSIVE: After narrowly losing to WWE Undisputed Champion Cody Rhodes, Kevin Owens brutalizes The American Nightmare with a Piledriver just moments after Saturday Night’s Main Event airs.#SNME pic.twitter.com/cSYV89siX0
Owens’ actions were so outrageous that they drew the ire of WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Leveque, who confronted Owens before going behind the curtain:
Owens’ attack on Rhodes means their rivalry will continue despite Rhodes’ victory on Saturday. WWE has a long time to build its next premium live event, as Royal Rumble 2025 isn’t until February 1st. The company is also holding its next Saturday night’s Main Event special on January 25 in San Antonio. It can be expected that Rhodes and Owens will settle their differences at one of these shows.
For now, it appears that Rhodes will be sidelined for the foreseeable future while he nurses his injuries. Owens will surely take comfort in knowing that he overruled the WWE Champion with his brutal attack.
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